A poet must be a psychologist, but a secret one: he should know and feel the roots of phenomena but present only the phenomena themselves in full bloom or as they fade away.
IVAN TURGENEVA poet must be a psychologist, but a secret one: he should know and feel the roots of phenomena but present only the phenomena themselves in full bloom or as they fade away.
IVAN TURGENEVIllness isn’t the only thing that spoils the appetite.
IVAN TURGENEVEach individual is more or less dimly aware of his significance, is aware that he’s something innately superior, something eternal–and lives, is obligated to live, in the moment and for the moment.
IVAN TURGENEVTake what you can yourself, and don’t let others get you into their hands; to belong to oneself, that is the whole thing in life.
IVAN TURGENEVTo desire and expect nothing for oneself and to have profound sympathy for others is genuine holiness.
IVAN TURGENEVGo and try to disprove death. Death will disprove you, and that’s all!
IVAN TURGENEVNature creates while destroying, and doesn’t care whether it creates or destroys as long as life isn’t extinguished, as long as death doesn’t lose its rights.
IVAN TURGENEVEveryone needs help from everyone else.
IVAN TURGENEVSo many memories and so little worth remembering, and in front of me – a long, long road without a goal.
IVAN TURGENEVDeath is like a fisherman, who, having caught a fish in his net, leaves it in the water for a time; the fish continues to swim about, but all the while the net is round it, and the fisherman will snatch it out in his own good time.
IVAN TURGENEVIf we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.
IVAN TURGENEVGo forward while you can, but if your strength fails you, sit down near the road and gaze without anger or envy at those who pass by. They don’t have far to go, either.
IVAN TURGENEVI’m incapable of describing the feeling with which I left. I wouldn’t want it ever to be repeated, but I would have considered myself unfortunate if I’d never experienced it.
IVAN TURGENEVThe past was a dream wasn’t it? And who ever remembers dreams?
IVAN TURGENEVWhat a magnificent body, how I should like to see it on the dissecting table.
IVAN TURGENEVThat’s what children are for—that their parents may not be bored.
IVAN TURGENEV